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Re: Ladies, please don't ignore this

Confirmed: no cancer in the brain. And they think it's probably only metastasized to her spine and nowhere else, though they won't know for sure until they read the PET scan they did today. (Her doctor seems very careful. I like that.) She starts radiation this week as well as hormone treatments (to slow/stop the cancer growth) and something to help her bones. And then in a few weeks she will start chemo. Her doctor says this is a long term thing, more like a marathon than a sprint.

Re: Ladies, please don't ignore this

Re: Ladies, please don't ignore this

Originally Posted by Todash

Confirmed: no cancer in the brain. And they think it's probably only metastasized to her spine and nowhere else, though they won't know for sure until they read the PET scan they did today. (Her doctor seems very careful. I like that.) She starts radiation this week as well as hormone treatments (to slow/stop the cancer growth) and something to help her bones. And then in a few weeks she will start chemo. Her doctor says this is a long term thing, more like a marathon than a sprint.

Todash, Thoughts, prayers and healing vibes being sent to you and yours.

Re: Ladies, please don't ignore this

Oh, yes, I wasn't very clear (that happens sometimes when I get a little verklempt). At this point, this is THE absolute best possible news we could have gotten. It feels, in fact, rather like the miracle I was afraid to hope for. Even if she has any cancer in the lungs or liver (which they will know when they read the PET scan), it's definitely so small that they won't have to do any radiation treatments; the chemo will take care of it. And they're going to be conservative with the chemo, using the smallest amount that gets results, which is good news for quality of life. For as long as she had it, I truly was prepared to hear that it had gone to her brain, which would have been very, very bad news--because the chemo agents cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. But to hear that it probably hasn't even metastasized to her liver or lungs ... wow. Just wow. The fewer places it has metastasized, the fewer places that have to have radiation, the better.

I called them last night and could hear the relief in their voices. She is still having trouble walking, but the doctors don't think any permanent damage was done to the spinal cord itself, and she's hoping to start physical therapy soon. (It amazed me how quickly that symptom escalated, by the way. I had just seen her the week before.) Maybe they could do some kind of reconstructive surgery to her back? I don't know; I hope so. Either way, things are looking pretty dang good.

Thank you all SO much for your prayers and thoughts and encouragement.

Re: Ladies, please don't ignore this

As I mentioned in the Pit Bull thread, I am Todash's niece. She is my very favorite aunt. Not to say that my other aunts aren't perfectly acceptable people, but, well they are republicans.

That was kind of a joke.

They really are republicans, but that is not the only reason why Todash is one of the most awesome people in the world. We get on really well, and I consider her a friend on top of her being my aunt.

Todash's sister-in-law is my mom.

Thank you for all of your kind words and thoughts; they are appreciated.

Just a quick update, she has started radiation treatments to kill the cancer in her back. She is still not walking great, but before the emergency surgery she wasn't really walking at all, so I guess that is something. She will start chemo on the 18th. I am glad to have such a supportive family, as it has helped with this process.

Let me go ahead and add, please, please, please, if you think something might be wrong, or you have that little niggling pain that won't go away, just go to a damned doctor. It's easier on you, easier on your spouse, and easier on your family.